Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Understanding the Basics of Flight Aerodynamics 101 Flying a small plane revolves around understanding four key forces: lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Thrust, produced by the engine, propels the plane forward, overcoming drag, which is the resistance caused by air. These forces must work in harmony to maintain flight stability.

Weather 52

Weather Pilot Drag Rudder 52

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. As is often the case with swept-wing jets, sometimes extra drag is required beyond gear and flaps. Landing was wild, leading to the aircraft’s big wings striking the ground at times in the crosswinds approaching 35 knots. This was in XP12.

Crosswind 105

Crosswind Weather Knot Aileron 105

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 31, 2025

Brake-dependent high performance aircraft obviously need dry runway to meet their normal landing distance numbers, while light airplanes slow down reasonably well with the added drag of snow accumulation. Packed snow and ice, often the result of attempted snow removal, provides much less braking traction than loose snow.

Runway 89

Runway Airplanes Crosswind Drag 89

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 27, 2024

Add in some crosswind and turbulence from preceding aircraft, and these arrivals can get a bit hairy. It reminds us that just as low, dragged-in approaches are bad, a steeper-than-normal approach has equal potential to cause unsafe touchdowns and landings.

Stability 90

Stability Approach Runway Pilot 90

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

Flying the Base Leg All aircraft land into the wind, so the base leg usually involves some crosswind. The crosswind can push you out and mess up your glidepath if you’re not careful. Add any more pressure, and the wheel will stop rotating and drag along the runway instead. Landing in a crosswind?

Descent 52

Descent Weight-Shift-Control Crosswind Runway 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

While the tilting lift vectors are an important source of adverse yaw, drag also plays a part. Any time a wing creates lift, it creates induced drag. In our example, the right wing has more lift, and thus more drag, than the left wing as the airplane rolls. This drag imbalance amplifies the adverse yaw.

Rudder 52

Rudder Lift Aileron Drag 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

Full flaps are generally used since they lower approach speed and increase drag. The drag allows for a steeper descent, which is particularly helpful when avoiding obstacles. Will you need a crosswind correction? Crosswind Landings Short-field landings teach you to fly slowly and precisely. Full flaps, 1.3

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Approach Density Altitude 52

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

When an airplane starts a turn, there is more lift, and therefore, more drag created in the raised wing. Because of the increased drag, the nose of the plane wants to yaw in the direction of the lifted wing. This is especially vital during crosswind landings. This is called adverse yaw.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The problem is that the aileron can only be deflected to a point after which the drag becomes significant. Adverse yaw is created due to the drag differential between the two sides of the aircraft. The downward moving aileron produces more lift, but also generates more induced drag. This creates drag.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Increased lift on the raised wing immediately creates more induced drag. What’s induced drag? Induced drag is the resistance that happens as a result of creating lift, caused by swirling air around the wings that slows the airplane down. The higher drag on the raised wing reduces its speed relative to the lower wing.

Stability 52

Stability Center of Gravity Aileron Rudder 52

Airspeed Junkie

AUGUST 2, 2024

Other modifications include flap gap seals that reduce drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, and a nose wheel pant that encloses the lower nose strut for better aerodynamics. The reliability of the Cessna 172 shines through in various flight conditions, including crosswinds and turbulence.

Knot 98

Knot Cockpit Pilot Gross Weight 98

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Managing the angle of attack matters because it directly influences lift generation and drag in all phases of flight. Proper angle of attack management also maintains safety during slow flight, crosswind landings, and when encountering wake turbulence. Different wings offer a different lift-to-drag ratio.

Lift 52

Lift Turbulence Drag Pilot 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

However, the increased drag might make it impossible to take off again. A faster, reduced-flaps approach improves aircraft control during strong crosswinds or gusts. This does two things: it keeps the load on the wings and increases drag. It’s okay if you’re pushed off the center by crosswinds as long as you recover.

NOTAMs 52

NOTAMs Runway Approach Descent 52

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 7, 2025

Once youre used to those key differences, flying and landing a Stearman (without much crosswind, wink wink) is just as enjoyable, if not more, than a Cub. Plus, the NX can actually do a few things the conventional-gear XCub cant, mainly because it can attain a high angle of attack before the tailskid drags.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Tail Pilot Jet 98

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 11, 2024

I was intrigued by what appeared to be a grass crosswind runway at North Bass Island, but no such runway is listed in official publications. Because the north end of the dragstrip and the east end of runway 28 were so close together, I wondered if the drag strip was a former runway, but could not find any evidence of that being the case.

Runway 82

Runway Approach Knot Drag 82

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Combining the Gweduck’s advanced hull with its counter-rotating propellers means differential power allows crosswind water taxiing impossible in floatplanes along with higher hull-in-water taxiing speeds. “We Keeping drag corralled was emphasized as the Gweduck mission is foremost long-distance cruising.

Airplanes 80

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 80

Flight Training Central

JANUARY 15, 2024

Once in position and any crosswind corrections noted, takeoff power should be applied smoothly and continuously while holding the brakes until the maximum obtainable engine power. Once the brakes are released as the airplane accelerates, adjust the airplane’s pitch to attain minimum drag and maximum acceleration.

Density Altitude 52

Density Altitude Indicated Airspeed Lift Runway 52

Pilot Institute

JUNE 26, 2024

For instance, if an aircraft is on the crosswind leg, they’ll ask you to extend the upwind If you don’t have the time, that’s okay. When going around, the pilot should immediately remove full flaps to reduce drag and increase performance. Radio Calls When you perform a go-around, you must inform ATC.

Wind Shear 52

Wind Shear Runway Approach Aeronautical Decision-Making 52

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

You might ask what happens with crosswind landings when you take away rudder authority. Flight Design rates the F2 with the same 16-knot demonstrated crosswind component as the previous CTs. Our flight was absent any crosswind, so its hard to know how the rudder/nosewheel gearing would work under those conditions.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Aileron Crosswind 98

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

Managing the critical engine, which is the engine closest to the aircrafts wingtip, is key to reducing drag and maintaining control. Failing to anticipate gusts or crosswinds can make your landing unstable. Proper coordination of throttle, trim, and rudder inputs are critical during this phase of flight.

Descent 52

Descent Final Approach Approach Runway 52